Box making machine



N. A. ANDERSON BOX MAKING MACHINE Sept. 16, 1941.

Filed July 29, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Rj MA ma N m /-//5 ATTORNEY Sept. 16, 1941. N. A. ANDERSON BOX MAKING MACHINE Filed July 29, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR NEL5 A HNDElZfiON MJQ H/fi ATTORNEY Sept. 16, 1941.

N. A. ANDERSON 2,255,745

BOX MAKING MACHINE Filed July 29, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR NELfi' A- Hi5 ATTORNEY Sept. 16, 1941. N. A. ANDERSON 2,255,745

BOX MAKING MACHINE Filed July 29, 1940 Sheets-Sheet 4.

INVENTOR I: ATTORNEY Sept. 1941. I N. A. ANDERSON 2,255,745

BOX MAKING MACHINE Filed July 29 1940 6' Sheets-Sheet 5 lNVENTOR IVE/.5 A QND EfiON HIE ATTORNEY P 1941- N. A. ANDERSON 2,255,745

BOX MAKING MACHINE Filed Juiy 29, 1940 6 Sheets-i-Sheet 6 Hi5 ATTORNEY I INVENTO'R NEL A-HN {$0M Patented Sept. 16, 1941 BOX MAKING MACHINE Nels A. Anderson, Stockton, Cali1'., assignor to Fibreboard Products Inc., San Francisco, Calif a corporation of Delaware 1940, Serial No. 348,228

10 Claims. (Cl. 93-36) Application July 29,

It is among the objects of my invention to provide improvements in a machine of the character disclosed in my Patent No. 2,070,704, issued February 16, 1937. I

Another object is to provide means for advancing the box blanks without buckling through the machine.

Another object is to provide improved means for fastening the tabs to the blanks.

A further object is to provide improved means for efiecting registration between the .tabs and the blank.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of my invention. It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to this disclosure of species of my invention, as I may adopt variant embodiments thereof within the scope of the claims.

Referring to the drawings: 1

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing various parts of my machine; and

Figure 2 is a plan view of a box blank to which tabs are applied by the machine.

to flaps 3 of a box blank I, so that when the latter is set up the tabs lie in the spaces between the flaps to provide a flat or level bottom to prevent packaged articles, such as cans, from tilting in the box. The tabs are each fastened to the blank by a central staple 6, and also by a band of adhesive I to prevent the tabs from turning.

Referring to the diagrammatic view in Figure 1, my improved machine comprises a continuously moving conveyor belt 8 running on end pulleys 9 and II for advancing a blank through the machine. Box blanksare fed onto the conveyor by a reciprocating pusher l2 actuated through a suitable linkage l3. A blank advanced by pusher I2 is pressed into driving engagement with belt 8 by a pressure roll I4 so that the conveyor further advances the blank into engagement with a set of continuously rotating feed rolls [6 and I1. These latter rolls feed the blank under operating units l8 which apply tabs 2.

In order to register the blank with the operating units a positioning stop I9 is pivotally ar- Figure 3 is a side elevational view showing lefthand portions of the machine; and

Figure 4 is a similar view showing right-hand portions of the machine.

Figure 5 is a detail view of one of the tab applying units.

Figure-6 is a plan view of the left-hand portions of the machine corresponding to the side view of Figure 3; and I Figure '7 is a plan view of the right-hand portions of the machine corresponding to the side view of Figure 4.

Figure 8 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken in a plane indicated by line 8-8 of Fig 3.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary longitudinal sec-. tional view taken in a plane indicated by line 99 of Figure 6.

In terms of broad inclusion, the box making machine of my invention comprises means for' moving a box blank through the machine; an

- operating station; and means for registering the blank at the operating station. Means are provided at the station for feeding a tab into fastening position, and means are arranged for fastening the tab to the blank.

In greater detail, and referring particularly to Figure 2 of the drawings, the box making machine of my invention is designed to apply tabs 2 ranged to ride over and drop behind a blank passing through feed rolls I6 and I1. After emerging from the latter rolls the blank is retarded by a brake shoe 20 and is then engaged between a pair of rolls 2| and 22; the lower roll 2| being driven in a direction opposite to roll l6, and the upper roll 22 being lowered to engage the blank in time with the operation of units I 8. These rolls reverse the movement of the blank and shift it backward against positioning stop 20, whereupon units l8 operate to apply tabs 2.

Upper roll 22 of the registering mechanism is then elevated to free the blank and pressure rolls 23 associated with operating units l8 are lowered dinally of the machine, with rear pulley 9 fixed on shaft 28 journaled on feed table 26, and forward pulley I I mounted on the main frame. by

- a bracket 29 adjustably arranged to'tension the belt. Pulley 9 of the conveyor is continuously.

Gen-- tra-lly disposed conveyor belt 8 extends longitu- Pusher I2-is slidably mounted on table 26 behind the conveyor on a guide rod 38, and its operating link I3 is connected through a suitable linkage 39 with; a crank 4| on a shaft 42, so that the pusher reciprocates once for each revolution of shaft 42. As box blank 4 is advanced by pusher I2 onto conveyor 8 it is constrained against lateral movement by guide bars 45 mounted on the bed of the machine and having inwardly extending flanges for supporting the blank. These bars are adjustable laterally for different sized blanks by screws having right and left-hand threads for engaging depending nuts on the bars and having squared ends for receiving a hand crank. A chain 41 rotatably connects these screws for simultaneous adjustment. SeeF'lgure 6.

Pressure roll I4 for engaging a blank advanced by pusher I2 is mounted on an arm 48 carried by cross rod 49, and is urged downwardly by spring i connected with lever 52 at one end of the rod, so as to press the blank into frictional driving engagement with the conveyor belt. A supporting roll 53 is provided under the upper reach of the belt and is mounted on an arm 54 fixed to a cross rod 56. This entire assembly is carried by brackets 51 connected by tie rods 58 and adjustably slidable on bars 59 at the sides of tab1e29, so that the rolls may be positioned for engagement with different sized blanks.

Screws 6| hold the brackets in a selected position of adjustment.

Feed rolls I6 and H which engage the blank being advanced along the feed table are arranged at the head end of he main frame 21 to assist the conveyor in positively feeding a blank into operative position under tab fastening units II. There are preferably two pair of these feed rolls as shown in Figure 6, one pair being arranged at each side of the conveyor belt. Lower rolls I6 are mounted on shaft 32 and are continuously driven thereby at a peripheral speed equal to that of the conveyor. Upper rolls I1 are fixed on an overhead shaft 62 journaled in spring pressed bearings 63 slidably mounted in brackets 64 and are drivably connected with the lower rolls by gears 66.

As a blank leaves feed rolls I6v and I! it is retarded by brake shoes 29 mounted on guide rails 45 and urged downwardly into frictional engagement with the blank by springs 61. See

Figures 6 and 9. This keeps the blank from be-- ing further advanced by the continuously running conveyor after leaving the feed rolls.

Positioning mechanism including the stops I9 is provided for registering the box blank with units ll of the operating station. Referring again to Figures 6 and 9, positioning stops I9 arefreely pivoted on cross bar 69 to ride over a blank and drop'behind its trailing edge; one

stop being arranged alongside each of the upper feed rolls I1. The forward faces of the stops are located to accurately pontion and'align' a blank at the operating station under units I 8. Reversing rolls 2| which function to reverse movement of the blank and shift it backward into registration with stops 9 are iournaled on' a shaft I2 under the blank and are continuously driven in a direction oppomte to feed rolls I6.' 7

70 machine for simultaneously adjusting bars I83 by a chain I3 from shaft 62.

Pressure rolls 22 which cooperate with reversing rolls 2| are carried by an arm 14 fixed on rod 69. Movement of rolls 22 into and out of engagement with the blank is controlled by a on follower ll of a spring pressed lever I8 on rod 69. Cam I6 is designed to time the lowering of rolls 22 with the operation of units I 8. After the blank has been moved back against stops I9 5 the continuously rotating reversing rolls 2| merely skid on the under surface of the blank. This tends to hold the blank firmly against positioning stops I9 while units I8 are operating. Rolls 2| are preferably rubber covered to enhance their frictional engagement with the underside of the blank. After the tabs have been applied by units I8, the rolls 22 are lifted by cam I6 to free the blank for discharge from the machine.

The structure and operation of units I8 is similar to those described in my patent, hereinbefore mentioned, and they will be only briefly discussed herein. As best shown in Figure 7 there are two pairs of these units mounted on main frame 2l,- the units of each pair being disposed on opposite sides of the conveyor so as to apply tabs 2 on opposing flaps 3 of the box blank. Referring to Figures 4 and 5, each unit comprises a chute 8| containing a stack of tabs 2; and also a linkage '82 operated from a cross shaft 83 to feed the tabs one at a time to a fastening position under the blank. A push up device 84 is further provided for lifting a stapled tab clear for discharge with the blank. Each unit also includes a stapling head 86 to apply staple 6 centrally of the tab, this head also being operated from cross shaft 83. There are two of these shafts 83, each serving a pair of units,

and both of the shafts are driven from a common shaft 81 extending alongside the main frame.

Hand wheels 88 cooperating with rack and pinions 89 function to adjust the pairs of units ion-- gitudinally of the machine..

Drive shaft 81 for the operating units is connected by a 'chain 9| (Figure 8) with a shaft 92 which in turn is driven through an automatic clutch 93 hooked up with countershaft 33 by a drive chain 94. Clutch 93 is controlled so that units I8 operate only when a blank is in the machine. Thus, a cam 96 and linkage 91 5 serve to disconnect the clutch at the end of each cycle of tab applying operation; and the clutch is reconditioned for engagement only when a central finger 98 is lowered by the presence of a blank in the machine. This control mechanism 5 for tab applying units is substantially the same as that described in my above mentioned patent.

Inmy improved machine the cam I6 for-lowering and elevating rolls 22 of the blank positioning mechanism is driven from shaft 92 so as 5:, to operate in time with the tab applying units.

Means are also provided in my improved mechanism for simultaneously adjusting each pair of units I8 transversely of the machine. For this purpose anoverhead screw 99 (Figure 7) -is mounted above each pair of units, with right and left-hand threads carrying nuts IOI on the brackets which support the units. By turning a hand wheel I 82 the units of a pair are thus simultaneously adjusted. Means are further provided in my improved which guide the blank on the main frame. As shown in Figure 7, this comprises an adjusting screw I 65 with right and left-hand threads engaging nuts on the bars and having a squared 1 cam I6 on shaft 42, shown in Figure 8, acting 7 end for receiving a hand crank. A pair of such guide bars and an adjusting screw therefor is provided for each pair of units. Another improvement in my machine is the provision of means for applying glue 1 to prevent the tabs from turning. For this purpose a glue pot I06 is mounted on the bracket of each unit, with a glue wheel I01 disposed to apply a band of glue on the tab as it passes from chute 8| to the tab fastening position. See Figure 5.

After the tabs have been applied and rolls 22 of the registering mechanism have been lifted, pressure rolls 23 on units l8 are lowered by cams I08 (Figure 4) to press the blank against conveyor belt 8 at points supported by rolls I09,

and cause the conveyor to advance the blank into engagement with pressure roll 24 which cooperates with .the conveyor belt at a point supported by roll III to discharge the blank from the machine. t

It is to be noted that the blank is advanced through the machine by means engaging opposed surfaces of the blank sheet instead of by means engaging a'trailing edge of the blank. This is important because it insures that the blank will be advanced without buckling. An-

other desirable featureof the machine is that the 1 reversing rolls of the registering mechanism also grip opposing surfaces of the blank, thus servin to flatten out warped blanks and achieve accurate registration. These features are particularly important under conditions where box blanks being handled have become warped and flexible due to absorption of moisture.-

I claim:

1. A box making machine comprising means for moving a blank, means frictionally engageable with the blank for retarding its movement, and blank positioning mechanism including means separate from the blank retarding means for changing the direction of blank movement.

2. A machine for applying a tab to a blank, comprising means for feeding a tab into fastening position, means engageable with opposing surfaces of the blank for moving the blank toward said fastening position, and means engageable with opposing surfaces of the blank for moving the blank into registration with the tab in said position.

3. A machine for applying a tab to a blank, comprising a tab fastening station, means engaging a face of the blank for advancing the blank along a path through said station, a blank positioning stop movable into said path behind the advancing blank, means engaging a face of the blank for moving the blank backward and for holding it against the stop, and means at said station for fastening the tab to the blank while the latter is held against said stop.

4. A machine for applying a tab to a blank, comprising a tab fastening station, means including a continuously moving conveyor for advancing the blank along a path through the station, a blank positioning stop movable into said path behind the advancing blank, a reversing roll, means for pressing the blank against said roll for moving the blank backward and for hold ing it against the stop, and means at said station for fastening the tab to the blank while the latter is held against said stop.

5. A machine for applying a tab to a blank, comprising a tab fastening station, means including a continuously moving conveyor for advancing the blank along a path through the station, a blank positioning stop movable into said path behind the advancing blank, a reversing roll, a movably mounted pressure roll for pressing the blank against the reversing roll for moving the blank backward and for holding it against the stop, and means at said station and timed with the movement of said pressure roll for fastening the tab to the blank while the latter is held against said stop.

6. A machine for applying a tab to a blank, comprising a tab fastening station, means including a continuously moving conveyor for advancing the blank along a path through the station, a pair of feed rolls engaging opposing surfaces of the blank for positively feeding the blank toward said station, a blank positioning stop movable into said path behind the blank after the latter has left the feed rolls, means for moving the blank backward and for holding it against the stop, and means at said station for fastening the tab to the blank while the latter is held against said stop. I

7. A machine for applying a tab to a blank, comprising a tab fastening station, means including a continuously moving conveyor for advancing the blank along a path through the station, a pair of feed rolls engaging opposing surfaces of the blank for positively feeding the blank toward said station, means disposed along the path ahead of the feed rolls for retarding the blank movement, a blank positioning stop movable into said path behind the blank after the latter has left the feed rolls, means for moving the blank backward and for holding it against the stop, and means at said station for fastening the tab to the blank while the latter is held against said stop.

8. A machine for applying a tab to a blank, comprising means for holding a stack of tabs, a stapling head, means for feeding a tab under said head, means disposed between the stack and head for applying adhesive to the tab being fed, means for registering a blank with the tab, and means for operating-the head to staple the blank and tab together. v

9. A machine for applying a tab .to a blank, comprising a tab fastening station, means engageable with a face of the blank for advancing it to the station, means engageable with a face of the blank for moving it into registration with the tab at said station, and means at the station for fastening the tab to the blank.

NELS A. ANDERSON. 

